How to analyze an INCI ingredient list?
Understanding the composition of your cosmetic products may not always seem easy. Yet, it’s crucial.
Just like with what you eat, what you put on your skin ends up in your body. To help you select healthy cosmetic products, we’ll help you understand the INCI list.
What is the INCI list ?
INCI stands for "International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients".
It is the precise composition of the product you hold in your hands. It was created in 1973 by an American association, and since 1998, cosmetic manufacturers in Europe are required to display this list on their products. The goal is to inform consumers about the ingredients in their cosmetic products, so they can know exactly what they are applying to their face, body, or hair.
How is the INCI List displayed ?
The INCI list is written in Latin and English.
All the ingredients in the product’s formulation are listed. They are written in descending order of their importance in the product’s composition. Therefore, the first ingredient listed is the most important in the formulation. For example, if "Aqua" is listed first, then it means water is the most important ingredient in the cosmetic. Only ingredients that make up less than 1% of the product can be listed in a different order. These are the ingredients found at the end of the INCI list. We recommend paying special attention to the first five ingredients on the list. They likely make up about 80% of your product’s composition!
Practical Case
Below is the composition of our Aloe Vera Soothing Gel:
Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice, Sodium levulinate, Glycerin, Sodium anisate, Aqua, Xanthan gum, Panax notoginseng root extract, Ascorbic acid, Arginine.
The first term, "Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice," indicates that the main ingredient in the product is Aloe Vera leaf juice. In fact, it makes up more than 9/10 of the product, and all the other ingredients in this list represent less than 1/10 of the product.
In this specific case, you can find more information about the ingredient "Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice" in our ingredient dictionary or through a third-party source. And we strongly recommend you to do the same for every ingredient. Little by little, you will get used to these strange ingredient names and they will start to make sense to you.
How to Understand the INCI List?
There are apps that help decode the INCI list. We recommend the French apps "INCI Beauty" and "Yuka", which analyze products from around the world, or the Chinese app "MeiLiXiuXing", which mainly lists Chinese products.
As private organizations, their rating criteria may vary, but they all follow the current cosmetic regulations and provide information on the ingredients found in beauty products.
These apps classify ingredients into 3 or 4 categories, easily identifiable by color coding. Below is an example of the INCI Beauty classification:
• Green : Safe ingredient - No penalty
This type of ingredient poses no apparent risk to human health and has minimal environmental impact. Most natural extracts are green if not regulated.
• Yellow : Regulated / Possibly irritating / Allergen - Low penalty
For most of us, this type of ingredient doesn’t pose more of a risk than the previous one. However, some ingredients in this group can be irritating or even allergenic. Others may be regulated, usually in terms of concentration limits set by Europe. The app signals this ingredient with a low penalty in the product rating.
• Orange : Potentially petrochemical-derived ingredient and/or not worthy of a red - Medium penalty
This category mainly refers to synthetic ingredients, petrochemical-based or less environmentally friendly due to their polluting manufacturing process and/or low biodegradability. These ingredients may (or may not) sometimes have an indirect effect on human health.
• Red : Controversial or potentially risky ingredient - High penalty
This is the highest penalty level for an ingredient. When a significant controversy exists around an ingredient, it is placed in this color level.
In a nutshell...
This classification, although imperfect, helps to understand the basics of what’s good and what’s not. Of course, there are various reasons why an ingredient might be advised against. It could be irritating, allergenic, or harmful to the environment, for example.
However, it’s important to note that all ingredients in cosmetic products (even those classified as red) are allowed by regulations and approved by the European scientific committee. Also, it’s important to understand that even ingredients classified as green may not be suitable for everyone. Allergies are complex and individual tolerances vary.
On our side, we develop formulas that stay, as much as possible, in the "green zone" to achieve a maximum naturalness rate. We refuse to use ingredients in the "red zone" that, while more cost effective and completely authorized in the EU, do not reflect our philosophy.
You now have practical and reliable tools to read and understand the ingredient list of your cosmetics. They will help you to find information about your products impact on your body and your planet.
Take action by educating yourself and by caring about what you put on your skin!
© Altitude Yunnan